The Forsaken
by iceangelmkx
Summary: Caught in a storm after securing a contract, Joe finds shelter in a shack occupied by a lonely woman. Unknown to him, Joe would come face to face with things he never imagined would exist.


_Disclaimer: I do not own the Cartwrights or Bonanza... although I wish I did. They belong to their rightful owners and I am no way associated with them... although I wish I was. I have no intention of any form of copyright infrigment... and that's the pure truth._

**Notes: One could say that this was more of a Twlight Zone-inspired story that just happens to be set in the Bonanza world. And a note of warning… there is mention of domestic abuse in this story.**

**The Forsaken**

Joe Cartwright breathed in fresh air as he stepped outside of the building where he just finished with some business. A small smile played on his face, knowing that his long trip to Lake Valley was worthwhile.

He turned his head to the right as he heard footsteps from behind him. Sam Vincent, the man he just finished his business with, stood next to him as he viewed the small, quiet town before him.

"I'm glad that's all settled," Sam said to him. "We look forward to receiving the timber."

"My brothers and I should have them delivered to you in about two weeks," Joe replied. "We'll see you soon."

"Give my hello and thanks to your Pa for me, will you?" Sam asked with a gentle smile.

Joe nodded to him. "I will."

He began to walk over to the hitching post where his black and white pinto, Cochise, was hitched. He briefly patted the horse's neck before untying the reins from the post.

After mounting on his horse, Joe briefly looked inside his green jacket just to make sure the contract and money were safely placed in it's inner pocket. Satisfied upon seeing the check and documents inside, he began to ride down the street.

Joe took the time to look around the town on his way out. It was fairly quiet, but he figured that it was because it was morning. He knew that night time was a different story, since there were a couple of bar brawls over a card game while Joe was having a beer at their local saloon. The Sheriff and his deputies of the town seemed to be on top of things on that particular night, arresting the brawlers not long after the fights started.

The buildings of Lake Valley were in fair condition. Joe guessed that they may have been around for just as long as Virginia City has.

As he exited Lake Valley, Joe sighed to himself as he thought about his home, the Ponderosa. It has been six days since he left to help in finalizing the timber contract, a task Joe didn't normally do by himself. His oldest brother, Adam, was currently negotiating with a rancher in Placerville who wanted to buy some of their horses. With heavy chores to carried out before the incoming winter, along with the bad luck of have very little ranch hands on the Ponderosa for the moment, his father Ben could only send out one person to take care of the timber contract in Lake Valley. Joe and his other brother, Hoss, ended up drawing straws to see which of them would get the shortest one and take care of the contract.

Joe ended up with the short straw.

The trip from the Ponderosa to Lake Valley was about a three day ride. It wasn't a bad trip length, but there was that long stretch that he would have to face for a while. Lake Valley was a bit isolated, surrounded mostly by tall trees, high mountains, and a large, single lake about a mile away. The closest town to them, a trip that took about two days, was Carson City.

Now following a trial, Joe began to ride through nothing more but hills and trees. It was all he was going to see for the next two days aside from the few abandoned shacks he saw along the road. He would be lucky if he saw at least one passerby on the way to Carson City.

At least the view was nice for the moment. Amongst the countless tall pines, the leaves on the branches of some of the trees were in the middle of changing color, a sign of the autumn season. Most of them still had their green color, but the mix of red, orange, yellow, and brown made for a spectacular view. With the cloudless, bright blue sky above, it was almost like a painting on the wall.

Joe briefly admire the view for a moment before hearing his horse let out a soft neigh. He patted her on the neck. "We're going to have ourselves a long ride again, Cochise," he said aloud.

Indeed it was. Aside from Cochise's hooves pounding against the soil, there were little noises. The wind would pick up once in a while, causing the leaves on the branches to create brush-like sounds. The ones on the ground would sometimes be lifted off a few inches from the air and float around for a bit before falling back down.

When the sun was at it's highest for the day, Joe briefly stopped to eat his lunch… coffee and beef jerky. Beef jerky wasn't his favorite to eat, but it was much better than Hoss' cow fodder, which he seemed to like to take with him anytime they left the Ponderosa for more than a day. At least the coffee was good, though he had the feeling his family would say otherwise.

After finishing his meal, Joe put out the fire he had set up in his small camp before mounting back on his horse. From there, he continued his journey back home.

The travel went uneventful until about a half hour before sundown. The wind began to pick up more rapidly than it had all day. At first, Joe thought that it was because it was getting dark. However, upon seeing the clouds appearing from beyond the mountains, Joe began to believe that a possible rain, or even a storm, was about to take place.

"Just great," Joe mumbled, realizing that he should've listened to his father and brought along the extra equipment at a time like this. Because it hadn't rained since summer began, he was confident that no storm would hit the area until at least the end of the month.

He tightened his hands around the reins he was holding, hoping that the clouds would bring nothing more than an overcast. Kicking Cochise, he got her to gallop. He hoped to cover some ground before the sun set completely.

By the time the sun did set, the clouds had completely covered the sky as far as Joe's eyes could see. The air now was more chilly, but still bearable for the time being. He stopped briefly to take a moment to light a lantern before continuing on, letting Cochise walk. Joe knew there were a few abandoned shacks along the road and was hoping to find one at this point of his travel.

'If only I could've remembered where I saw them,' he thought with a small sigh.

It was at that moment when he heard a soft rumble above. A storm was coming. It was something Joe suspected, but had hoped wouldn't happened. He pulled the brim of his tan hat slightly to shield his green eyes from the wind, which was picking up faster speed.

The air was starting to feeling damp, and Joe knew that it would start to rain at any minute. He expected himself to get caught in the storm before he could find a shack, but he began to wonder if he would ever find any form of shelter any time tonight. The last thing he needed was to fall ill before the winter season.

It was just as Joe reared Cochise into a halt that he noticed a small flickering light amongst the trees. Joe stared at it for a moment. He saw it moving in the air, and he realized that someone was walking with a lantern in hand. Then, to his luck, he noticed two shacks. It was obvious that someone occupied the area.

The droplets of rain began to fall down as Joe moved his horse towards the shack. As he shivered in the cold, he hoped that the person would at least be nice enough to welcome him to their place until the storm passed. He guessed that the storm would last overnight.

As he got closer, Joe realized that only one of the buildings was a shack. The other was a barn. There was also one other tiny building in between, and Joe knew it was where chickens were kept. He rode towards the shack, stopping his horse just in front of the door before dismounting. There was a wooden pole with a metal ring which seemed to serve as a hitching post. Joe tied the reins to the ring before he began his approach to the door.

The droplets soon became a light drizzle as Joe reached the entrance to the shack. He knocked on the door four time, then waited.

Joe barely heard the footsteps from inside the house, which seemed to walk around within for a moment before it began going towards the door. When it opened, Joe expected to meet with a face of a stranger. Instead, the barrel from a rifle emerged between the opening.

Immediately, Joe raised his hands in order to let the person know that he won't reach for his gun. "I don't mean any harm," he told whoever was holding the rifle. "I saw your light. I was hoping to find a place to stay until the storm passes."

Another rumble of thunder was heard. The person held the rifle to him for another moment before pulling it away. Joe exhaled with a bit of relief as he placed his hands back to his sides.

The door opened wider, revealing a petite, middle-aged woman. "I'm sorry for holding the gun at you," she said, her voice deep but soft and almost whisper-like. "But when you're a woman alone out here, you can't take any chances."

Joe smiled at her. "I understand."

The woman placed her gun against the wall. "You're welcome to stay overnight until the storm passes. My name is Lorena Cole."

"Joe Cartwright. Here, let me put my horse away-"

"No!" Lorena called out, startling Joe a bit. He stared at her for a moment, seeing the confused look on her weathered face. Lorena noticed that she had startled him and regained her voice. "I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to call out like that. It… it's just been a while since I've seen any… strangers."

Joe nodded. "It's all right."

Lorena then seemed to reach for something inside next to the entrance. She then pulled out a long, black poncho, which Joe knew served to protect someone from the rain.

Joe realized her intentions. "It's all right, I can find my way."

"I know," Lorena began to insist. She seemed to have trouble finding her words before speaking again. "I'm sorry… the last… few nights haven't been too good. I… haven't slept well. Go ahead and put your horse in the barn… I'll warm up some grub for you."

"Thank you Miss. Cole," Joe said. He untied Cochise from the post before bringing her over towards the barn.

Upon entering, Joe immediately noticed the large piles of hay all around. To the left was a brown horse in it's stall, which was too busy drinking some water from a bucket to notice the stranger and his pinto coming in.

Walking to the only empty stall to the right, he encouraged Cochise inside. From there, he began to remove the tack from her before placing them on top of the enclosure of the stall. He then took the time to groom her before providing her with some water and feed. Once he was done, he gave her a quick pat on the neck before exiting the stall.

Hooking the rope to close off the entrance to the stall, Joe took another moment to remove the tack from the enclosure and placed it properly next to the other equipment for the other horse. Another rumble of thunder was heard just as he stepped outside and closed the barn door behind him.

It was still drizzling, but the rain was starting to gain more strength. Joe quickly ran towards the small house. Upon entering the house, he realized that his clothes were only slightly damp.

Joe removed his hat from his head. He looked around the house briefly before noticing a small group of black hangers on the white wall. Hanging his hat up, he turned back forward.

Briefly, Joe gazed at the room he was in. The front door had led him to a small living room containing a red settee with a matching chair. Both furniture faced the brown coffee table containing a single pot of marigolds, which were beginning to lose life. A small fire glowed within the fireplace, keeping the room warm. Along the walls were a couple of paintings of fields and flowers in their pots. Another door faced the exit, and he assumed it led to a bedroom.

Joe heard a small clink coming from the kitchen. He turned his head in time to see Lorena setting a small plate of food on the table along with a cup. The kitchen itself was as small as the living room, containing a table with three chairs, a chest to the right, a single counter, the stove with two pots on top of it, a small basin with a pump, and another door to the left.

"Had I known someone would be coming overnight, I would've made more," Lorena said as she walked back over to the stove to remove the empty pots.

"I'm much obliged," Joe said as he sat down at the table. He looked down at his meal… fried chicken and beans. He then looked at his cup and saw that it contained coffee.

For a while, it was mostly quiet with the exception of Joe chewing on his food and the clatter of dishes that Lorena was cleaning. The rain had picked up speed outside, and it was heard hitting the roof of the house. The wind had done the same and was making whistling sounds all around. The thunder was becoming more frequent and the first lightning for the night was soon seen.

A thought came to Joe as he looked over at the older woman, who's back was turned to him. "What's a woman like you doing out in the middle of nowhere?"

Lorena turned to him and showed a small smile. "Every traveler who has passed by here seem to like to ask that question." She walked over to the table and sat down across from Joe. "I've been able to manage her myself for quite some time now. My father had died when I was young. My mother and I ran this little place for a while. We raised chickens and sold them or their eggs to those traveling by. That's how I raise my money now since my mother died three years ago. With the exception of the occasional traveler, I've been on my own since."

"Where are you're closest neighbors?" Joe asked just after sipping some of the warm coffee.

"About twenty miles from the main trail," Lorena said. She paused for a moment and her face seemed to indicate that she was trying to think of something. Before Joe could say anything, Lorena proceeded. "As a matter of fact, they helped me out with some of the more heavier chores just last night."

Joe had to smile. "I was just about to ask if you needed anything done around here."

Lorena shook her head. "You don't need to worry. The only chores left for now is just the simple things a woman can handle."

Joe nodded to her as he shifted his eyes down to look at his food. Most of what was on his plate was eaten, but he already felt satisfied with what he did consume.

"Thank you for the meal," Joe said to her. "It was very good. Do you need help with the dishes."

"No, but thank you," Lorena replied. "Besides, I'm sure you must be tired after all that traveling." She stood up from her chair. "I'll show you to your room."

Joe got himself up and began following Lorena to the door that was in the kitchen. She unlatched the door, opening it most of the way before entering. Joe followed in after her.

Lorena took the moment to light up a match. She removed the glass piece from a lantern that sat on a stand next to the single, large bed. She lit it up and blew the small flame on the match before placing the glass piece back on, lighting up the small room.

By then, Joe had already taken his green jacket off and placed it on a wooden rocking chair. Lorena turned to him just as he was taking his black gloves off his hands, which were rough from years of ranch work.

"If you need anything else, just let me know," Lorena said.

"I will. Goodnight, Miss Cole."

Lorena began walking over towards the door. Unknown to Joe, she frowned a bit. "Goodnight." Upon exiting the room, she closed the door behind him.

Joe stretched his arms a bit and looked around the room briefly. The wall and floor were just as similar as the living room with it's white walls and paintings of fields and flowers. The rocking chair sat off to the side near the door. In between two, wooden nightstands was the large bed, it's gray sheets and two pillows neatly made. The only window in the room was off to the left opposite from the door.

Joe wasn't the type to go to bed as early as nine o'clock… at least he guessed it was about that time. However, upon looking at the bed, he started to feel the aches from sitting on a saddle all day.

He took a moment to un-tuck his beige, button-down shirt before sitting down on the feather filled mattress. As he took his boots off, he noticed that the drapes from the single window was wide opened. Decided to close it, he got himself up and walked over to the window.

Just before he closed the door, a loud crack of thunder was heard. It only managed to surprise Joe a bit. He then witnessed the lightning, which brightened the property.

He happened to be looking over at the barn at that moment… a shadow of what looked like a man was seen right in front of the front door. That was at least what Joe thought he saw. The lightning itself was brief, disappearing almost as fast as it came before the property became pitch black again.

Joe tried to see the barn, wondering if someone really was there just now. However, now it was too dark to see. Seconds later, lightning struck again… this time, the shadow was gone.

Joe snorted in amusement. "I must be really tired," he said to himself before partially closing the knitted drapes. He then unbuckled his gun belt before placing it on the next stand next to the lantern. Finally, he lied himself down on the bed. It was lumpy, but tolerable for the time being.

He stared up at the blank ceiling for a bit, deciding to let his body fall asleep rather than force himself to. His mind was completely cleared of any thoughts as he listened to the rain pounding against the roof above him.

Thunder was heard in the distance as Joe slightly turned to his right side. Before shutting his eyes, the lightning outside lit up the room….

… The shadow was there again… Joe's eyes widened up seeing it against the wall… it was just right outside his window!

Just as fast as he saw that shadow, Joe jumped up from his bed, grabbing his gun which had been nestled in his holster. Pulling the hammer back, he peeked through the window. At the same time, the land beyond the window lit again as another rumble of thunder was heard in the distance….

… There was no one outside…

"What?" Joe mumbled. He swore that someone had been standing outside just a moment ago. They couldn't have vanished that quickly.

That's when he heard it. Just outside, Joe heard the sounds of heavy footsteps walking amongst the countless wet leaves which were lying on the ground.

Un-cocking the hammer for the moment, Joe sat on his bed and began putting his boots back on. Someone was definitely out there. To him, he wasn't that surprised. It seemed to be some sort of Cartwright misfortune that no matter where he and his family went, mostly wherever they stayed overnight far from the Ponderosa, they always found themselves in situations like this. It had ranged from robberies, hold-ups, or even being jailed for a crime they didn't commit. Joe wondered if he was going to end up facing one of those again tonight.

Once he got his boots on, the footsteps were heard again. Grabbing his jacket, Joe bolted out of his room and headed towards the front door.

His sudden appearance startled Lorena, who had been finishing up with her cleaning in the kitchen. Her dark eyes widened, she looked over at Joe.

"Is something wrong?" she asked nervously.

His hand on the latch of the door, Joe turned to her. "Try to keep quiet and stay in the kitchen. There's someone sneaking around outside."

Lorena nodded. With that, Joe slowly opened the door, the sound of the rain pounding on the ground with much more fierce. He let his left arm out the door first while aiming his gun, just in case the person was standing close by. He peeked his head out and looked around the area. More lightning flashed, giving Joe the chance to see more clearly. There was no one there, and he wondered if the person was hiding now.

Joe stepped outside into the rain, which immediately soaked his dark, curly hair and shirt.

For a while, he searched around the house, being cautious around corners. He then went over to the barn. Once he entered, he let his eyes adjust to the dark before continuing forward. After a while of searching, he realized that only Cochise and the brown horse were the only occupants in the barn.

Just before Joe began to leave, a loud crash of thunder was heard just outside, making him jump. Cochise neighed in surprised, but calmed herself after. However, the brown horse suddenly became distressed, neighing loudly and pounding her hooves in the ground.

Joe climbed over the large pile of hay next to the horse's stall. When he had the chance, he grabbed the horse's halter.

"Whoa, girl," Joe hushed. This would last another few seconds before Joe managed to get the horse to calm down. He pet the horse for a moment to relax her further before getting down from the hay.

Joe sighed to himself. "Either there really was someone here and got spooked, or I was seeing things," he concluded. Having no other reason to be here, he got out of the barn and began heading back to the house.

When he got inside the house, Lorena was standing by the door with a towel in her hand. "I thought… you would need this," she said.

Joe nodded. After locking the door, he took the towel in his hand and began to dry himself off the best he could. "Thanks."

"Were you able to find out who or what was out there?" she asked.

Joe shook his head. "I didn't. I swore there was someone out there. There was a shadow and I heard footsteps out my window. Did you hear anything before I came out?"

"No, I've… been too busy with the cleaning," Lorena replied, also shaking her head.

Joe sighed a little. "For all I know, it was only someone passing by and he disappeared by the time I got outside."

In truth, however, Joe didn't want to admit that what he saw and heard may have been nothing but just him imagining things. For all he knew, it may have been nothing but a large animal. He already felt foolish as it was already.

Joe forced himself to lightly smile. "I guess it was a good thing. When I was in the barn and that loud thunder hit, your horse was pretty spooked. Who knows what would've happened if-"

He stopped in mid-sentence upon seeing Lorena's face. Her eyes were widened suddenly and she seemed to try to swallow a big lump in her throat. It was as though she was suddenly nervous.

Joe stared at her with concern. "Is everything all right, Lorena?"

Upon hearing him speak, Lorena blinked rapidly a few times before focusing her eyes on the young man. She shook her head a little. "Yes, I'm fine. I… was just concerned about Sugar."

Joe smiled more. "Is that your horse's name?"

Lorena nodded, now showing a small smile of her own. "Yes. I've… had her for some time. However, what concerns me is that… she's never really been spooked like that before."

"The thunder was pretty close. As a matter of fact, I think my ears a still ringing." Joe chuckled at that.

Lorena noticed his wet shirt. "I'm… sorry I don't have any dry clothes for you to wear now. It's been… quite some time since a man… lived here."

Joe looked down at himself. "It's fine. My trousers are pretty dry for the most part. However, I could use an extra blanket. I have the feeling that I'm going to be more cold since I spent some time in the rain."

"Of course," Lorena said. She walked over to the settee and picked up a red, knitted blanket that was hanging over the back portion of the furniture. She then handed the blanket to him. Joe took it in his hands just after placing the towel over his shoulder. "If you need anything else… just let me know."

"I will," Joe said as he began walking back towards his room. "Goodnight."

He soon reached his room, closing the door behind him. He placed his gun back on the stand next to his holster before placing the extra blanket on the bed. Then he removed the towel from his shoulder and put it next to the blanket. From there, he undid the buttons on his shirt before peel the wet fabric off himself. He then hung it over the back of the rocking chair to dry overnight.

Joe took a moment to further dry himself off with the towel before taking his boots off and settling back down in the blankets. He sighed a little, enjoying the new warmth it gave him after his time in the rain. Shutting his eyes, he hoped to be completely asleep for the remainder of the night. After all, he had a long day of riding ahead of him.

However, for a very long time after settling in, Joe wasn't able to get himself to sleep. He mostly tossed and turned, trying to find a comfortable spot, but to no avail. Eventually, he found himself staring up at the ceiling. He guessed that maybe one or two hours have passed by now since he settled in.

The storm wasn't as bad it was a while ago. The rain continued beating down on the roof that covered him, but the thunder and lightning was now few and far between. At least he was warmer than he was with the extra blanket he received.

Joe wasn't sure how long it was before his eyes finally began to feel heavy. Feeling tired since he arrived at the house, he was looking forward to a good night's sleep.

Just as he closed his eyes, the wind outside began to pick up, causing the leaves to rub against one another, creating multiple brushing sounds. A small whistle was heard, but that wasn't what caused Joe to open his eyes… he began to hear what he thought was someone whispering just outside the window.

Joe found himself looking up at the blank ceiling again just as the whispering stopped. He rolled his eyes to himself. 'I'm imagining things again,' he thought to himself. 'I'm just glad Adam and Hoss aren't here to see me.'

Again, Joe closed his eyes, hoping to get some sleep. It started again almost right away… the whispering outside the window. Joe snapped his eyes open again, now feeling a bit irritated by the noise.

'What is going on?' he questioned. 'Is my mind playing tricks?'

This time, Joe didn't close his eyes, deciding to wait until the wind died down a bit. It wasn't long before all was quiet with the exception of the rain. Joe pulled the two blankets up over his bare chest until it was just under his chin.

Some time passed before Joe began to fall asleep again. Just as he was relaxing, the whispers were heard once again… this time, it was louder than before.

Joe snapped his eyes open again. "Don't tell me this is going to happen all night…" he muttered, feeling more irritated.

Deciding to try to ignore it, Joe was just ready to close his eyes when lightning struck again, brightening the room. The window's shadow was seen on the opposite wall.

Before the light disappeared, Joe's eyes widened… he was able to once again make out a shadow of a person standing right outside the window! This time, Joe saw it's arm outstretched as though it was pointing at something.

Just as fast as before, Joe jumped out of his bed. He grabbed his gun and aimed at the window.

"Who's there?!" he called out. He waited for his answer, only hearing the rain and his own heavy breathing. However, no other noise came… at least until a knock was heard behind him. Startled, Joe whirled around towards the door, his gun now aiming towards it.

"Is everything all right?" a soft, female voice was heard from behind.

Joe took a deep breath, realizing it was Lorena. He put his gun down back on the small table before making his way over towards the door. Upon opening it, he was met with Lorena. She was now in a red robe holding an oil lamp in her hand.

"I… heard you yelling," she said to him. "Is everything okay?"

Joe took another deep breath. "I'm not sure," he admitted. He looked back over to the window. "I swore I saw someone out there again."

"I haven't heard anything," Lorena replied. "All I heard was you screaming."

'Was I that loud?' Joe thought to himself.

"You must have been dreaming," Lorena tried to assure him. "Usually, if someone come by the trail, I can usually hear them, especially if they were on horseback, just like I had with you tonight."

Once again, Joe exhaled softly, realizing that she may be right. He might've gotten the sleep he wanted, but a dream may have spooked him out of it.

Joe gave her a reassuring smile. "I think you may be right," he said. "Maybe I was dreaming. I'm sorry to have awakened you."

Lorena nodded, forgiving him. "Goodnight, Joe."

"Goodnight, Lorena." He then closed the door as she began heading back towards her room.

Joe stared over at the window again. Sure… he may have been dreaming. What else could it be?

He settled himself back in the bed, covering himself with the blankets. The thoughts of what just happened came back to him, and he covered his face with his hands.

'Was it all really a dream?' Joe pondered. 'Then why did it feel so real?'

If it was real, Joe wondered if he was starting to go insane? He's heard of stories like this before. A person would have an ordinary life in one moment, but then start seeing things and losing his sanity in the next. It was as though the devil himself took over the person's soul. Joe didn't believe in such things, but in a way, like now, he wondered if it was possible.

'No,' Joe finally declared. 'I'm not going insane. Not me.'

He decided to try to block those thoughts off for the remainder of the night. He wasn't sure how long he could manage it, but he sure would like to try.

Lying on his back, Joe shut his yes. Time passed and he couldn't fall asleep again, even with the only noise in his presence being his own breathing and the heavy rain outside.

Joe turned his head towards the window again. Nothing was out there in his viewpoint by the rain and darkness. He shook his head in amusement at a thought. He was never a fan of sunrises, but now he found himself wishing for once that the sun would shine it's early ray of lights at this very minute.

After a long amount of time passed while lying on his side, Joe finally began to drift off to sleep again. Thunder was heard in the distance… then, the whispers right outside the window started again.

Joe slowly opened his eyes. 'Not again…'

Deciding to try to ignore it, Joe turned over to his other side, his back towards where the single window was. He tried to think of other things in order to block the whispers out of his mind. Joe thought of his family. He was pretty sure his brothers would be laughing at him now if they knew what was happening to him. His Pa would be concerned, but Joe was sure that his father wouldn't know what to really think.

Then he thought about the social dance that was supposed to take place in Virginia City next week. He smiled a little upon thinking about Carrie, the girl he would be taking to the dance. He had only known her for about a month, but she was a sweet, pretty girl. He only hoped that her father wasn't as overprotective as any of his previous girls' families.

His thoughts were soon disrupted by the whispers, which seemed to be getting louder with each passing minute. Even when they were loud enough to where he would've been able to make out what the speaker was saying, Joe couldn't understand a single word that was being said.

"Stop it…" Joe mumbled without opening his eyes.

Then, as though it listened, the noise stopped. Only the pounding rain remained.

Joe let out a small exhale and turned over on to his stomach. He was feeling quite exhausted at that point and he eventually began to drift off to sleep.

Suddenly, a rustling noise was heard within the room. Opening his eyes, Joe turned his head over, but the sound had stopped by then. Nothing moved within the room and not a single unusual shadow was seen.

'Must've been a mouse,' Joe guessed. He turned on his back and rested his head on the pillow. He then found himself rolling his eyes. 'Great… now I'm paranoid.'

He closed his eyes after that thought. Not even a second later, the whisper came back. Suddenly, he could feel what felt like someone's breath hitting his right ear.

"Yoooouuuu…" the near-breathless, male voice said calmly.

Now freaked out, Joe's eyes snapped open, too aware of the fact that someone was now in his room. He found himself looking over towards where he heard the voice.

To his shock, Joe was met with something he never thought he would see in his lifetime. Hovering over next to bed, a black, smoke-like mist shaped like a human stood over him!

Joe opened his mouth, unsure of how to react. He tried to speak, but no sound came out. He was only able to stare back at the mist. Chills went up his spine and he could feel the goose bumps developing on his arms, making the fine hairs stand on their ends.

'It's only a dream,' he could only think repeatedly. 'It's only a dream…'

Joe felt the figure staring back at him. He could only watch as the mist's arm lifted up. When it stopped, he noted that it seemed to be pointing towards something out the window.

Finally, Joe was able to find words to say. However, before a sound came out, the mist slowly dissipated.

When it was gone completely, Joe slowly sat himself up from his bed, leaning his back against the board. He rubbed his eyes, discovering that a sheen of sweat had developed around his face. He hadn't noticed it until now.

Questions raced through his mind. What had just happened? What… or who… had just been in front of him? Is any of this real? Was he dreaming? Was he going insane? Or was this place usually like this? If this area really was haunted, wouldn't Lorena know about it? And if she did, wouldn't she had mentioned it when he first arrived here?

Joe swallowed, realizing how dry his throat was. He didn't want to get out of bed after what just happened, but he was sure that he wouldn't get any more sleep with a dry throat, let alone what he just witnessed moments ago.

He turned the knob on the lamp, lighting up the room. The young man then got himself out of bed before taking the handle of the lamp, carrying it with him.

Quietly, Joe left his room and made his way towards the kitchen table. He placed the lamp down on top, then walked over the cabinet to get a cup. Picking up the small glass, he then moved over to the basin, pushing down on the pump with one hand. He watched the water fall and spin in the cup, soon settling once he stopped adding more.

Joe took a few sips of water, now feeling a his throat a bit refreshed. Just as he was about to take his third sip, the whispers started up again with such volume that Joe ended up jumping, losing his grip on the glass. He barely noticed the shattering sound as it hit the floor.

Joe rapidly searched around the room as the noise continued. It was as though it was coming right near where he stood… but he was the only one here…

BAM! The unexpected sound caught Joe's attention. He turned to it and noticed that the front door was now wide open.

Joe shook his head. "Dadburnit," he muttered, saying the word he knew Hoss would've said if he was here right now being spooked half to death. He walked over to the door to close it.

Lightning once again lit up the area. It had last long enough for Joe to once again see that black mist over by the barn. It was pointing again, this time towards the door to the barn.

Not wanting to look at it anymore, Joe quickly closed the door and locked the latch. Just after he did, a disturbing thought came to him… he swore that he had locked the door behind him when he came back inside earlier…

"Is everything all right?" a voice suddenly said from behind him.

Not expecting to hear that, Joe quickly whirled around with a small gasp. However, upon seeing Lorena standing under the door frame that lead to her bedroom, he sighed with relief.

"I… I'm fine," Joe stuttered, surprised by how slightly shaky his voice. He took a deep breath and looked down towards the kitchen floor, now noticing the cup that he dropped only a minute ago. The glass was mostly intact with only a few shattered pieces, but there was a small puddle of water that surrounded it.

"Sorry about the cup," Joe finally said. "I'll get that cleaned up."

Lorena turned her head and noticed the broken cup. "That's all right. You're my guest, I'll take care of it.

While she got a broom from the corner of the kitchen, Joe returned to his own room, remembering the towel that he had used previously. It was hanging next to his shirt, which was still drying. He grabbed the now-dried towel before returning to the kitchen. By then, Lorena was sweeping the glass into a small pile, taking it some of the water with it as she pulled it away from the puddle. Inspecting the area to make sure there weren't any more small pieces, Joe placed the towel over the spilled water, letting the towel soak it up for a moment.

"I know this place can be a little… creepy, being in the middle of nowhere and all," Lorena suddenly said, even with her soft toned voice.

Without looking at her, Joe spoke. "What made you say that?" he said trying to sound as if he didn't know what she was talking about.

"Well," Lorena began to reply as she found a small box that was used for storing clothes after buying them at the clothing shops. "I've had… a couple of folks in the past who have stayed here overnight like you have. It's been… quite a while though. Every one of them have been pretty spooked by this place. Most aren't used to being in the woods… like this."

"I'm fine with it," Joe said. That was the truth. After all, the Ponderosa was mostly pine trees, so he practically grew up in the woods.

But perhaps the people who have stayed here before have had the same experience that he has. If that was the case, he was at least a bit more comforted, knowing that he may not be going insane after all.

After she swept the broken glasses into the box, Lorena carefully placed it on the table next to the lit lantern. "I'll take of that in the morning." She looked back at Joe. "Try to get some sleep."

Joe nodded. "I'll try. And I'm sorry to keep waking you."

"You're forgiven," Lorena replied with a small smile. "Goodnight… once again."

Joe chuckled a little. "Goodnight again." With that, Lorena returned to her room, once again closing the door behind her.

Joe looked over at the sitting room. He wondered if he should try to sleep on the settee for the remainder of the night, but just as quickly, he realized it most likely wouldn't help at all. Taking his lantern off the table, he walked back to his room. After closing the door, he headed over to place the lantern on the stand, turning the knob to lower the light. After that, he lied back down in his bed and covered himself with the two blankets.

When a minute, he realized how warm he was, which he found a bit unusual at this time of year. 'Must've been all that excitement,' he concluded. 'I'm sure I'll be cold again later.' With that, he removed the knitted blanket to the side, deciding to just go with the thin, white sheet instead.

And once again, sleep took it's time coming. Joe knew why… his mind was expecting those harsh whispers to make their presence known again. Trying not to think about it, he turned on to his stomach, his back facing where the window was located.

Soon, Joe was finally drifting off to sleep. Perhaps now, the night would be much more relaxing, and it would be sunup before he knew it….

Unknowingly drifting off into a dream, Joe opened his eyes, finding himself standing in front of the entrance to the Cole residence. There was no one in the room, but he could hear a man yelling something incoherently. Then, he heard a woman's bloodcurdling scream.

Joe tried to move in order to try to find out what's going on, but his legs suddenly felt heavy, and they barely carried him forward. Then, a loud gunshot startled him. He looked over to the left just in time to see a few small drops of blood staining the wall.

Then, another loud gunshot was heard… this time, it startled him right out of his sleep. He quickly sat up with a deep, rapid inhale, his eyes wide open. He looked around again, only to find himself back in his room, staring at the door.

The gunshot seemed to still ring in his ears as he caught his breath. A sheen of sheet covered him. As he lied back down, he rubbed his eyes, trying to remove the dream he just experienced from his thoughts.

When the ringing in his ears died down after some time, he was able to hear the rain outside. It wasn't as heavy as it was hours ago, and Joe hoped that it would finally stop before dawn.

Removing his hands from his eyes, Joe found himself looking to the left, his eyes on the nightstand he barely has looked at all right. That was when he noticed something small and round. He leaned over to see what it was. Upon seeing the thick chain connected to it, it was no mistaken that the object was a gold pocket watch.

Joe picked it up, placing it in the palm of his left hand. It was quite heavy for a watch, and he realized that the gold is most likely real. What really caught his attention was the initials engraved on the watch: N.C.

N.C.? Joe figured it must've belonged to someone who had stayed here at one point as Lorena mentioned before. But why would someone leave something behind that was so valuable? Was it a gift?

It was no matter at that point. Joe did, however, open the flap of the watch to see the time: four thirty in the morning. At least it wouldn't be too long now before the sun came up.

As he looked at the time, something suddenly moved from the corner of his eye on the right. Joe slowly gazed up… and once again saw that black mist.

Joe narrowed his eyes a bit, knowing that the mist… whatever it was… was staring right back at him. Somehow, Joe was no longer spooked by the apparition. Perhaps seeing and hearing things all right suddenly made him get used to these activities.

He finally said the words to the mist that he wanted to say before… "What do you want?"

The mist lifted it's arm again, pointing towards the window. It was obvious that Joe wanted him to see something that was outside the house. Before he could do anything though, the mist slowly disappeared again.

Joe sighed as he slowly placed the pocket watch down next to the lantern. Lying himself back down, he thought about all that's happened tonight. The constant whispers, the dreams, the mist… were they all trying to tell him something?

No! He wasn't going crazy! Joe began to blame all the events on the lack of sleep he's had the last few nights, including now. It was all a dream… nothing more than a dream…

Joe turned to his side, deciding to try to sleep again before sunrise… that was if he wasn't dreaming already. The rain continued to pour outside in a slow, steady rhythm. He heard a rumble or two from thunder, but they sounded very far off and he figured that the worst of the storm had passed.

Joe focused his thoughts on his family, trying to keep the memories pleasant. He thought about the jokes and antics he put his brothers through, and it made him chuckle a little bit. He always loved seeing the look on Hoss' face whenever Joe came up with a scheme. He laughed a little, thinking about the few pranks he had pulled on the more serious Adam, but it seemed to work better when he was younger He then thought about his Pa, the one who swore that his youngest son was responsible for making his hair turned white, and yet he was always caring and loving.

All these thoughts helped Joe to not think about his current situation, and he soon drifted off to sleep once again.

Joe then opened his eyes, surprised to find himself in the barn this time. He looked around, confused. 'What is going on…' he asked himself. Joe tried to move from his spot, but this time, he was frozen in his place.

That's when he heard what sounded like a crying woman nearby. He tried looking around to find her, but couldn't see anything. Even the stalls in the barn were empty. That's when the woman, still sobbing, trying to speak, but her words didn't come out clearly enough for Joe to understand her.

"Is anyone here?!" Joe was able to call out.

Then, silence followed.

Joe gazed around again, hoping to see someone.

"Hello?" Joe called out again.

Then, everything went black as a loud, inhuman scream was heard.

Joe opened his eyes again, suddenly finding himself back in his room. He didn't sit up this time, but he could feel his heart pounding rapidly against his chest. He also found himself trying to once again catch his breath.

Joe rubbed his eyes, trying to clear away the blur he was seeing. "This is getting ridiculous," he muttered under his breath. "One more thing like this and I think I really am going to go insane…"

He removed his hand from his face. Joe realized how quiet it just got. Upon looking over at the window, he noticed that the rain had stopped. Not only that, but even with the presence of clouds, he was able to notice that it was slightly lighter outside.

Daybreak had finally arrived.

Joe sighed to himself. He was still tired, feeling a headache coming on. However, now that the rain was gone and it was light outside, he wanted to start moving along as soon as possible. He didn't want to stay in this room… rather this house… for another minute.

Just outside his door, he could hear footsteps and small clattering from the unmistakable sound of pots and dishes. Joe figured that Lorena was now up and starting breakfast… at least he hoped that was really her out there.

Joe sat up from his bed, swinging his legs over the edge. Leaning down, he grabbed his boots. They were no longer wet, but the bottoms were slightly caked with dry mud. He got his boots on before getting up and walked towards the rocking chair where his shirt and jacket were. He grabbed his shirt, grateful that it was now completely dried. He slipped into them, buttoning them up before tucking the ends into his pants. Joe trekked back to the nightstand, putting on his gun belt and making sure that the gun itself was securely fastened. He then followed that with putting on his black gloves.

Joe headed back to the chair, grabbing his green jacket and putting it on. He then checked the inner pockets, seeing that the money and the timber contract were still there. Not that he expected Lorena to look in his jacket, but it was a precaution. With that he opened the door and stepped out into the kitchen.

Indeed, Lorena was in the kitchen preparing breakfast on the stove. She noticed him coming in. "Good morning," she said. The older woman tried to sound cheerful, but Joe knew that she was quite tired.

He frowned a little. "Good morning," he replied.

"Breakfast won't be ready for a little bit," Lorena mentioned.

Joe nodded. "Well, that'll give me time to saddle up my horse. I'm sure it'll be ready by the time I'm done."

Lorena barely nodded as well. "That… sounds like a nice plan…" she said in almost a whisper.

Deciding not to say anymore, Joe walked over to the door. He saw his hat still on the hanger next to the door, but he decided to leave it there until he left the house after breakfast. When he reached the door, he looked back at Lorena, who had her back turned to him as he prepared her meal. He felt bad, knowing that he was responsible for her feeling tired right now. The noise he had made from the things he had seen most likely kept her up throughout the entire night.

Joe thought to apologize then, but decided to wait until he returned to the house. With that, he opened the door and stepped outside.

The air felt moist, and Joe could smell the strong scent of dirt and pine as he made his way over to the barn. The ground was wet, and he knew that he would have to ride carefully. Normally, he would've possibly made it to Carson City before nightfall tonight, but with what the storm left behind, he had the feeling that he was going to once again stay at another shack. He hoped that nothing would happen like last night.

He then looked up at the sky briefly. A majority of the sky was covered with clouds, but he noted that some of them were parted enough for him to see the blue sky. Perhaps it would be must more clear later today.

The wind seemed to be much slower as he entered the barn. He left the large door partially open as he walked over to Cochise's stall. Upon reaching it, Joe saw that the pinto was busy eating her own breakfast.

Deciding to wait until she was done, Joe sat down on an old chair that was next to the stall. He looked over at the area opposite of him, seeing the brown mare gazing back at him from her own enclosure.

'What was her name again?' Joe thought, but then he remembered. 'Sugar. That was what Lorena said last night.'

As he waited, Joe slowly started to smell something. At first, he wasn't able to recognize what it was. Before he decide to conclude that he was imagining things again, the scent became a lot stronger now, causing his head to perk up. He recognized it… the smell of tobacco.

'Someone must be right outside the barn,' Joe thought as he got up. Going outside, Joe kept his hand on the hilt of his gun, just in case.

Oddly though, the moment he got outside, the tobacco smell was gone. The scent of dirt and pine replaced it.

"What…" Joe muttered. "I swore I smelled tobacco…"

Sighing a little, he turned around and walked back into the barn. He only went in about three feet before he stopped.

The tobacco smell returned. This made Joe very sure that the smell was coming from inside the barn.

"Who's there?" Joe asked a loud. He pulled his gun out in preparation, cocking the hammer back. After a long pause, he spoke again, shifting his eyes around to see if anyone would come out of their hiding place.

"COME ON OUT BEFORE I SHOOT!" Joe exclaimed.

Suddenly, as if almost on cue, Sugar let out a roaring neigh, rearing herself up.

Immediately, Joe released the hammer from his gun, placing the weapon back in it's holster. Joe climbed the messy pile of hay, getting himself next to the mare. Grabbing her halter, Joe was able to prevent Sugar from jump up any further.

"Whoa girl," Joe whispered. "Whoa."

Sugar neighed a little, calming down a bit. Joe raised an eyebrow as he released his hold on her. What had distressed the mare just now? He then wondered if his own voice had startled her. He gently patted her on the neck before bringing himself down from the pile of hay.

Joe then noticed that the tobacco smell was gone. He looked down at the floor, finding it strange how a smell like that would just be around… and yet there was no one around who would be using it.

And again, the smell left quickly. Joe knew better than that. That kind of smell would continue to linger for some time after it's use.

That's when he noticed a red, plaid shirt on the ground. Joe stared at the material for a moment. Thinking it was nothing more than an old shirt used as a rag, he picked it up.

Now having a closer look, Joe noticed how clean it was. It was definitely worn, but it looked too new to be used as a rag. Then, out of curiosity, he smelled the shirt… and was surprised to smell the scent of fresh tobacco, just like the one he sensed not too long ago.

Whoever was here, they wore this shirt not too long ago.

Before Joe could comprehend the situation, Sugar suddenly neighed in distress again. Joe looked up in surprised as she reared up. This time, her hooves broke the rope that kept her in her stall.

Seeing Sugar getting out of her enclosure, Joe back away. He realized that trying to calm her down would be much more difficult than before now that she was loose.

The horse continued to cry frantically as she reared and pounded her hooves into the ground. As she did, the mare moved around some of the hay she stood on.

Joe stood a good distance away from her. He waited until the right moment came before getting himself close enough to grab her halter. He held on for dear life as the horse attempted to rear back up again.

"Whoa!" Joe yelled out. He had to say this a few more times before the horse started to finally calm down again. For a moment, Joe kept his hands on the halter, just incase Sugar started up again. With his free hand, he gently caressed her nose to calm her.

When he was confident that Sugar won't rear up again, Joe walked her back to her stall. Once she was in, he looked down at the rope, then slightly sighed when he saw that the hook that was hammered into the post was broken. Perhaps he could stick around just a little longer to fix it for Lorena. In the meantime, he would have to find a set of reins to temporarily secure Sugar until he got the hook fixed.

Luckily, the reins were hanging right next to the stall. Taking them off the hook, he placed it around Sugar's head. Though she slightly resisted having the bit placed in her mouth, she eventually gave up and let Joe finish the job. He then tied the reins to one of the posts.

As he began to look for a hammer, he noticed something he hadn't seen previously… right in the area where Sugar had dug her hooves moments ago, a black boot laid amongst the hay.

Joe looked closer at the boot with a bit of interest. He remembered Lorena mentioning that it's been a long time since a man lived in the house. That was interesting, considering how this boot, aside from some dust and strays of hay, nearly shined as though it was polished not too long ago.

Deciding to look at it closer, Joe reached out for the boot to pick it up. The least he had expected was to drag something heavy with it. Joe nearly tumbled in surprise. He looked at what was connected to the boot… and he suddenly held his breath.

It was no mistaken… someone's foot was already in that boot!

Joe dropped the leg and quickly pushed away all the hay to the side. Once in clear view, he couldn't find the words or even the thoughts to what he was looking at now.

A dead man lied amongst the hay, his back facing Joe. He looked at his arm, noting it's pale color. With no odor present, Joe guessed that this man had died not too long ago… possibly many hours before he arrival last night.

That's when Joe noticed two holes in the man's shirt, the surrounding area stained with blood. It was no doubt that he had been shot down. Then, Joe noticed an object in the man's hand… a pipe for his tobacco…

Joe suddenly felt dizzy, and he leaned himself against Sugar's stall. Thoughts of last night spun in his head… the whispers… the shadows… the footsteps… the human-shaped mist… those two dreams with the yelling man, the shrieking woman, the two gunshots, the woman crying in the barn… that bloodcurdling scream…

Sweat began to form on Joe's forehead as he tried to catch his breath. He felt bile rise up to this throat, but Joe forced himself to swallow. No… this was something that happened in campfire stories, but he saw it with his very own eyes… or perhaps there were nothing but illusions.

He shuttered at the thought… was it possible that this man that was now lying dead by his feet tried to send him a message to him? The young man remembered the mist pointing at something whenever it appeared… it was always pointing outside.

Joe finally realized what it was pointing at: it was at this very barn.

"Joe?" a female voice suddenly said.

He shook his head, trying to regain his composure. Joe looked up in time to see Lorena coming in to the barn.

Unaware of what she was walking into, Lorena spoke. "I heard the horse and was wondering if-" That's when she looked down at the ground and stopped in her tracks. The small hint of the smile she had just a second ago quickly faded.

Joe watched her face as she stared at the dead man. She seemed to suddenly go pale, and her eyes showed surprise. He expected her to start screaming, but he soon found it peculiar that she didn't even part her lips… it stayed in a thin, straight line. Then, he saw her dark eyes dart between him and the man amongst the hay.

Joe began to having a sinking feeling in his stomach. He began to wonder… but he had to make sure first…

"Did you know who he was?" he asked calmly.

Lorena found herself searching for her words, feeling panicked suddenly. Her eyes seemed to widen with each passing moment.

The only answer so far was silence, and Joe decided to try again. "Do you?"

Lorena began to shaking, trying to blink back tears that now blinding her. She wanted to run, but found herself frozen in place. Joe frowned, realizing how frightened she was now. She opened her mouth and said something, but Joe barely heard her.

"Say that again?" Joe asked.

Her chin quivered as she took a deep, shuttering breath. "He… his name was Ned… he… he was… was… my… my husband…"

Joe stared at her in surprise… it was the last answer he expected. Then he remembered the initials on the pocket watch in his room… N.C. … Ned Cole. He folded his arms a bit as though he was cold… sure did felt like it right now…

Lorena found her words again, a single tear falling down her cheek. "I… I guess I… might as well say it… I… I'm the one… who shot him…" Her words were like a whisper… almost like the ones he heard overnight… but at least he understood what she was saying.

Joe frowned even more. "Why?"

Lorena took another deep, shuttering breath, trying to find some strength. She looked down at her hands nervously. For a moment, she bit her lower lip, wanted to just crawl in a corner as guilt overtook her heart.

However, upon looking at Ned, she gazed up at Joe, suddenly finding strength in her voice. "Why? Because he deserved it!"

Joe shook his head, the expression on his face never changing. "Nobody deserves to die."

Lorena shook her head in disagreement. "Except Ned Cole!" More tears fell down her pale face. "If you knew the things he did… the things he's done… you would've thought different!"

Joe slightly narrowed his eyes, unknowingly making the older woman nervous. "Tell me about it," he asked. "Tell me why you thought Ned deserved to die."

"I will," Lorena replied. She let out another shuttering exhale beforehand. Turning her head towards Sugar, she began her story…

"Ned and I married over three years ago. When we did, he came out here to help with our little farm…" she laughed dryly. "I know, it's not much of one, but it's good enough for us. He had been good to me and my mother. However, a few months after we married, my mother died from illness… that's when it all started."

She folded her arms just the same way as Joe's. "Suddenly, everything I did was wrong to him. Everything had to be perfect. The food, the cleaning, placing something in the right spot… if not…" she shuddered at the thought, but forced herself to continue. "I always had to make sure he had a good supply of that damn tobacco."

Joe shook a little. Her voiced sounded venomous at that last sentenced. He then noticed that she stopped speaking then. "Go on," he encouraged.

Lorena hugged herself a little. "Most… of the money I made… went to a supply of tobacco… and whiskey… he was much worse without them…" She now looked down at the floor, making sure to keep her eyes away from Ned. "Hardly anyone… knew we were out here… except for the occasional traveler… and we only went to Carson City… once a month for supplies. Ned… he made his living fixing fences… for nearby neighbors... neighbors who lived too far from here…"

She took another deep breath, feeling like she was going to lose it. As she composed herself, Joe had an idea about the nature of Ned's death. He dared himself to ask the next question…

"Did you kill him because he was violent towards you?"

Lorena was finally able to look at Joe straight in the eye. "He would have killed me if I hadn't!" Her voice was venomous again.

Then, she began to undo the button on one of the long sleeves of her shirt. He waited until she pushed the sleeve up. This time, it was Joe who took a deep breath upon seeing her arm. There was a large, fresh bruise on her arm, and seeing the yellow and red around it, it looked as though it had replaced an old one.

"There are more on me than just this, Mr. Cartwright."

Joe realized that Lorena had called him something other than his first name since he arrived here last night. It struck him in the heart… was she afraid of him now that she revealed her secret? She had been soft spoken and hard to get to know when they met… she had even held a gun to him when he arrived at her door, but he had thought it was just her being cautious.

But then she had let him stay here overnight… knowing that he may be capable of discovering Ned's lifeless form. Had she let him stay here out of pity… or was she so guilt-ridden that she wanted him to find out after all?

Lorena saw the curiosity in Joe's eyes, but the frown was still there. "I… wanted to tell something about Ned… but I've been so afraid. He always said… that he would cover it up… make me the insane one…" She looked down at his body. "I… I know what I did was wrong… but I was so terrified… and I didn't know what else to do…"

More tears fell down her face. "It… it was early yesterday morning… all because I didn't make his eggs right… the rifle had been at my reach when he chased me… and without thinking… I raised the gun… and shot him twice… I shot him… and I knew then… that I've gone insane…" She looked into Joe's eyes, her voice angry again upon her next words. "And I'd rather be sent to an asylum than to live in fear for the rest of my life!"

Joe had listened to her carefully as she explained her story. Her eyes were wide and her voice full of fear, especially now while speaking much louder than normal. She was much paler than she was earlier, and her body shook violently. Lorena was truly terrified of Ned… Joe believed it.

Lorena voice then went low. "I was so scared… forsaken…" Those words repeated over and over, but they eventually became incoherent. She then began to quietly sob.

Feeling his own tears in his eyes, Joe slowly walked over to Lorena. When he was in reached, he pulled her in an embrace. Immediately, Lorena grabbed hold of him, now sobbing into his shoulder.

Joe leaned his cheek into the side of her head, gently caressing her back to comfort her. "It's going to be fine," he whispered in her ear. "Everything is going to be fine…"

He let her take the time to cry out the anger and sorrow that had build up within her for those three years. And Lorena herself realized that she was crying in caring arms for the first time since she could remember…

---

One Month Later…

Sitting in front of the fireplace on the Ponderosa, Joe Cartwright sat in the settee, only staring at the embers that lingered above the flames. A cup of coffee sat on the table in front of him, but it was barely touched.

All was quiet in the house late that night, giving Joe some time to do some thinking. Of course, if Adam and Hoss were here instead of upstairs in bed, they would've both agreed that their little brother had been doing too much thinking as of lately.

Once again… he lost count after a while… Joe thought about Lorena, mainly the aftermath of that dark day;

They left her place late that morning after burying Ned. Lorena had agreed to turn herself in, despite what could happen to her. Joe encouraged her to come back to Virginia City with him. Not only would the Cartwrights hire their own lawyer for her, but she would be under their protection rather than having her in jail.

The case only went as far as the inquest. In Joe's luck, the circuit judge had arrived in town only a day after his own return. This gave enough time to show Lorena's bruises as evidence of her abuse. Joe served as a witnessed, telling of his discovery of the body and what Lorena had admitted to him. He had even described how frightened she had been when she told her story.

Some had wondered if Lorena had killed for something in Ned's will. However, it turned out that the man didn't even had a will, throwing that possibility out the window.

With Joe's words and Lorena's bruises, the case was dismissed since Ned's death was in self-defense. Just a week ago, Lorena left the Ponderosa to start anew in Genoa. There, she plans to open a place where women with the same experiences as herself would come together.

It made Joe happy to know that Lorena had received what few people get… another chance.

However, Joe couldn't shake off what had happened at her old home during the time that he was there. The things he saw during the night spooked him all right, but the discovery of the truth behind the Cole home was what made him truly sick to his stomach.

It was strange… most people, at least Joe believed, would have been quite traumatized by the fact that they had experienced paranormal activities right before their eyes like he had. However, the fact of knowing what Ned did to Lorena shook up much more than seeing a black mist. Spousal abuse wasn't anything new Joe… but to know something directly who was a victim was something else. Perhaps it was the nature of it and the outcome before the inquest that truly frightened him.

Joe had learned something that day… sure, anything that came from beyond is scary enough, but it was not as terrifying as something like being fearful of someone who was living and breathing who had more of a chance of hurting someone than a spirit would.

After her experience, Joe doubted that nothing more will frighten Lorena Cole.

As Joe continued his thoughts, he never noticed the front door opening. His father Ben stepped into the house after riding back from a friend's place for a late night supper. He removed his hat and placed it in the hanger along with his sons' own before taking off his gun belt.

Ben gazed over at the great room, noting the flames in the fireplace. Placing his gun aside with the others, he then noticed the familiar curly hair of his youngest son as

he sat on the settee facing that fireplace.

Quietly, the older man walked over to the settee and sat next to Joe. Noticing that someone had just sat themselves down on the settee, Joe turned his head, seeing his father for the first time since he came in. "Hi Pa," he said softly before turning back to look at the fire.

Ben studied his son for a moment, easily noting the worried look in his green eyes… the same eyes that his mother had. It was no mistake that he was deep in thought. Ben then noticed the cup on the coffee table. Seeing the dark liquid inside, he knew that Joe barely touched it.

He looked up at him again. "You're still thinking about Lorena?" he asked.

Ben still remembered the day Lorena arrived here. She had been a frightened woman, only trusting Joe when she first arrived here. Eventually, as time went on, Lorena was slowly able to trust the other men who lived here, realizing that there were still people to trust in this world. She had even confided in Ben a couple of times while his sons were to finish up the timber contract Joe had started in Lake Valley.

It was good that she stayed here, Ben realized. It helped her regained some confidence, though he was sure the unseen scar would remain for a long time coming. He hoped that she was doing well with herself now.

After a long pause, Joe finally answered. "Some times… I wonder…" Silence followed again.

For a moment, Joe thought about those signs… the apparition… the whispers… everything he saw and heard that night. It was the only detail of his stay he didn't mention to his family. Maybe, just maybe, if the right time came, he would tell his father about it, but he couldn't tell anyone else… not now.

Besides, Joe was never truly sure of any of it. He believed it to all be nothing more than a dream… but why did it feel so real? The thoughts would haunt him for some time… perhaps he'll find the answer when his time came.

"Wonder about what?" Ben suddenly asked, cutting through Joe's thoughts.

The young man looked up at his father. He sighed a little. "Sometimes… I wonder how anyone could marry someone… only to hurt them so much."

Ben understood what he was getting at. He knew that his son was disturbed by the discovery he made at the Cole home. Ben had seen situations like this before from a couple of friends and neighbors in the past, and even he had wondered the same question.

Ben placed a hand on Joe's shoulder. "Some people don't know the true meaning behind a marriage. To some… it's nothing more than a contract to get what they want."

He briefly thought about Lorena. "Or perhaps… they just don't know how to… usually those who hurt others have been hurt themselves, and so they treat them just the way they were treated because they don't know any other way. Now, that doesn't give anyone the right to hurt them… however, some do realize the error of their ways with time.

"Unfortunately, in cases like Ned and Lorena, they never do. It is a shame… having that marriage go to waste because Ned was a bitter man… but Lorena was lucky in the end. She got another chance… most never do."

Ben gave Joe's shoulder a small squeeze. "If it wasn't for you, her future may have been much more grim."

Joe sighed, feeling comforted by his father's words. And another thought came to him… who knows what would've happened if some other stranger came by that evening. He could've been less understanding and had Lorena sent to an asylum, or worse…

Joe felt relaxed for the first time in a while, knowing that things had turned out for the better. He gave a warm smile to his father. "Thanks. I think I'll head up to bed. Goodnight, Pa."

"Goodnight, Joe," Ben said as his son stood up. The silver-haired rancher watched as Joe went up the stairs.

Leaning back against the settee, Ben let out a small sigh. After that talk, he truly hoped that he was finally able to put Joe's mind at ease.

**The End**


End file.
